Bhubaneswar: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will launch Odisha’s first-ever ‘Bee Corridor’ project with the onset of the monsoon season in June as part of its environmentally sustainable highway development initiative, officials said.
Under the project, around 20,000 flowering and pollinator-friendly plants will be planted along selected national highway stretches in Sambalpur, Ganjam and Dhenkanal districts.
The plantation drive aims to create continuous green belts that support honeybees and other pollinators while improving roadside ecology and enhancing the visual appeal of highways.
Officials said species such as neem, karanj, arjun, kadamba, jamun, tamarind and kanchan will be planted to ensure year-round flowering and nectar availability.
“This initiative is intended to create a better habitat for honeybees and other pollinators through ecologically functional roadside plantations,” an official said.
The identified highway stretches include Talcher-Kamakhyanagar and Kamakhyanagar-Duburi sections of NH-53, Angul-Sambalpur section of NH-55, and Puintola-Ichhapuram stretch of NH-16.
Apart from the main flowering tree clusters, additional species such as mahua, palash, bottle brush and siris will also be planted under the broader national initiative.
According to officials, the project marks a shift from conventional ornamental roadside plantations towards biodiversity-focused green infrastructure aimed at pollinator conservation, pollution reduction and climate-friendly highway development.
The initiative is also expected to strengthen local biodiversity and contribute to greener and more eco-friendly highway corridors across the state.
